Anatomical and physiological features

The hoof-horn formation located around the phalanges of the fingers in mammals is equivalent to human nails. That is, these are transformed areas of skin without a lower layer, with the epidermis transformed into a callus.

They are responsible for serious functions:

• supporting;
• shock absorption;
• joint protection.

The average hoof growth per month is 5 – 8 mm. Pruning and clearing usually occurs 2 times a year, but it all depends on individual characteristics.

Causes

Trimming a cow's hooves is a regular procedure for the entire herd, however, in some cases, the animal requires individual care. Reasons for unscheduled pruning:

1. A decrease in physical activity is a serious difficulty for maintaining industrial livestock farming. Due to neglect of grazing cows, blood circulation in the foot decreases up to 15 times. This is fraught with slow growth of the hoof; it is not replaced by a new one. The hoof is sometimes called the peripheral heart, due to the increased blood circulation in the limb. Therefore, good care accompanies productive blood work, regeneration of tissue nutrition and positive changes in them.
2. A balanced diet improves the quality of the keratinized epidermis of the leg. But the lack of vitamins, gray and zinc substances in the feed disrupts it. Protein and fat foods also improve keratinization of the skin.
3. Poor living conditions: high humidity in the barn due to lack of ventilation, stagnation of manure in the tray, untimely removal of slurry lead to destruction of the hoof horn.
4. Congenital pathologies, distortion of the location of the limbs. This leads to deviation of the support point towards the side wall. But direct placement gives the hooves the opportunity to fully contact the ground, thereby evenly distributing the weight.

Circumcision rules

The day before the procedure, place the cow on a bed of wet sawdust. This will help soften the hard horn a little so that it is easier to work with. Trimming a heavily overgrown hoof horn occurs by using a hoof knife, forceps, rasp, or scissors. The procedure is carried out by two people. You need to start with the inner hoof.

Procedure steps:

• fixing the cow in a standing position to a pen or feeder with a rope;
• tying the limb being treated to any well-fixed object;
• for those who are disobedient and too violent, some kind of antipsychotic drug can be administered;
• Using a special knife, cut off the old gray, fragile layer from the sole until a light, elastic white line appears;
• be careful not to cut off the excess layer of epithelium;
• The teeth of the forceps are installed 1-3 mm below the sole to smooth out the unevenness of the hoof wall;
• align the heel line with the toes;
• cut off any bits of fur sticking out through your toes;
• leveling the sole with a file;
• Place the drill on a flat surface to assess the correctness of the current position of the limbs.

Make sure that there are no cracks or cuts left after the procedure, as they can cause suppuration. If wounds appear, immediately treat them with iodine.

Why is trimming and trimming necessary?

Benefits of hoof trimming:

1. Improving the health status of cattle.
2. Increased milk yield, increased productivity.
3. Protects ligaments from sprains.
4. Keeping the cow active.

Subtleties of the procedure

For greater safety, hoof trimming can be organized in special machines. They are designed taking into account the anatomical features of animals. Often machines are equipped with various lifting devices to lift and fix the leg at the appropriate height. The price of such services varies, depending on the complexity.

Hoof trimming can also be done in a stall. The work will be carried out successfully with the help of an assistant, who must hold his feet during processing. Initially, the drill needs to be secured with an auxiliary axial crossbar. A halter is used to secure the cow near the feeder and restrict head movements. The limbs are secured with ropes that can be fastened together or tied to the posts of the stall.

How to care

Trimming the hoof horn is not the only important detail in the comprehensive care of the cow’s feet. A farmer or any owner must remember a normal diet that includes minerals and vitamins. Minimum humidity, maximum cleanliness and dryness in the livestock area.

Periodic pruning at least 2 times a year. Don't forget to inspect the animal, especially its limbs. If cracks or creases are noticed, you need to trim them; if the hooves are full of dirt and manure, clean them with a knife and rinse with water. At the same time, avoid lubricating substances that make the hooves brittle and loose, this could be kerosene, tar or ointments.

In winter and during calving, monitor the health of livestock more closely, because this period is the most dangerous for deformities, pathologies and other diseases. Rinse and treat your entire body and feet regularly.

Trimming cattle hooves, cows, Belarus, May 2017, YouTube video.

Hoof trimming in the village. Difficulties in fixation. Trimming hooves in the village. fixation difficulties.

How professional cow hoof trimming works. Yuri Koshutin works.

Conclusion

Hoof trimming is a mandatory grooming procedure. Without timely formation of gait, the cow can get injured in her legs. The procedure is carried out regularly, without the participation of a veterinarian.

The health of the animals and their productivity directly depend on the condition of the hooves of cattle. Due to its anatomical structure, the cattle hoof tends to grow and, as a result, under the influence of surrounding factors, its shape can become asymmetrical.

Over time, the regrown corneal wall can crack or break, damaging soft tissue and increasing the risk of infectious diseases. In this case, the animal will begin to limp and eventually have difficulty moving, which will undoubtedly lead to a decrease in its productivity. To exclude asymmetric development and further diseases of the animals’ hooves, it is necessary to trim the hooves of cows 2-3 times a year.

What are the benefits of timely hoof trimming for cattle?

So, what are the advantages of this procedure? 1. Proper trimming improves the condition of the herd. 2. The milk productivity of cattle is restored and increased. 3. With regular implementation of the procedure, lameness in cows is reduced by more than 80%.

How to properly trim cows' hooves?

It is advisable that the herd be “observed” by one specialist and after each procedure an inventory of sick animals is compiled with a detailed description for each hoof. In addition, a general picture of the condition of the cattle herd’s hooves should be obtained. In view of the fact that not every farm can pay for the work of a personal orthopedist or have the latest equipment, it is best to use the services of mobile teams, which include professional veterinarians.

Such teams work quite quickly (on average 1000 animals per month). Specialists regularly improve their skills by participating in various training seminars and programs. At the same time, the price of a one-time trimming turns out to be significantly lower than the maintenance of a full-time specialist and equipment, and with constant cooperation with one company, the animals of your farm are under constant qualified supervision.

What is required for proper hoof trimming?

It is essential to have your hooves checked twice a year. Illness and injury reduce productivity and can lead to loss of animals. To prevent this from happening, you need to make the hooves as stable and mobile as possible and diagnose the problem as early as possible.

Good quality pruning equipment and professional tools can solve half of this difficult task. The second half, of course, is carried out by the hands of professionals whom you can trust one hundred percent.

There are modern devices that fix the cow in a horizontal position. This allows you to immobilize all four limbs at once, without discomfort or pain. There are also advantages to a vertical machine, where the animals and the trimmer are in a natural position for them.

To perform work on trimming and processing cattle hooves, it is better to use modern hydraulic machines that secure the animal and make this process absolutely safe, including for humans.

Their advantages are undeniable:

1. The entire process occurs hydraulically.
2. These machines are quite easy to operate, and thanks to the durable frame made of galvanized metal, they are reliable.
3. They are highly technical and detailed.
4. They operate almost silently, without irritating the animal.
5. Their mobility is ensured by wheels and a handle: the machine can be installed anywhere and moved at the right time.
6. The latest energy saving technologies make the operation of this machine quite economical.

In addition, the fastening process is controlled using a remote control; the animal, including its head, is fixed hydraulically, quickly and effortlessly. All manipulations with the fastening are completed in about one minute!

Why should you entrust this work to experienced professionals?

To do a job well, you need to be a specialist. Especially when it comes to health and life. Experience also matters a lot. The Koshutin team has been working for a long time and with high quality, each of our employees is a high-class professional and approaches their profession with full responsibility. It is always easier to prevent a disease than to spend energy and money on its treatment. Due to untimely, poor-quality hoof trimming, you may lose your entire livestock.

Cattle hoof trimming- a complex, labor-intensive process that requires certain knowledge. It is better to entrust it to people who know all the nuances of this matter, work according to all standards, and comply with the necessary rules, otherwise the animals may receive even greater injuries and stress. In addition, it is important to have high-tech, high-quality equipment and a set of necessary tools.

Previously, in our country, trimming the hooves of cows was done by people who did not have the necessary knowledge about the anatomy of the hooves and possible diseases. And the equipment was used what was at hand - a knife, hemp and boxes. Naturally, this negatively affected the productivity of pruning, and as a result, milk yield decreased. Specially created, qualified teams consisting of several high-level specialists are the best solution for small farms. Not everyone has the opportunity to buy expensive equipment for hoof trimming, but a seasonal call for such a group will be relatively inexpensive.

Any animal must be carefully cared for.

Moreover, care consists not only in the regular supply of feed and change of bedding, but also in caring for the appearance of the animal.

For example, cattle need not only to be regularly washed and cleaned, but also to have their hooves trimmed and their legs cleaned on time.

After all, a cow has only one hooves for its entire life.

How to carry out this procedure correctly so as not to harm the animal?

Answers to your questions are given in this material.

It is known that in cows and bulls the hoof, or more precisely, its horny wall, thickens and lengthens by 6 - 8 mm every month. When the animal spends most of its time walking in the pasture, this tissue quickly wears off, and the shape of the hoof does not change.

In winter, when the cow is inactive, the unremoved cornea can thicken too much, which leads to deformation of the hoof, and such a defect is very difficult to correct.

If this part of the animal’s body is not put in order in time, then over time this horn will crack and bend. Then the probability increases soft tissue damage legs and hooves of a cow.

There are often cases of purulent process and inflammation. Then the animal begins to limp heavily.

In order not to cause pain to itself, the cow begins to walk incorrectly, which, in turn, leads to uneven distribution of body weight on the joints.

General the animal's condition also worsens. It becomes difficult for the cow to walk, she eats poorly, and tries not to get up. All this is reflected in milk yield.

Often the amount of milk collected from this cow is reduced by a quarter, but sometimes this cow may not produce milk at all. It is for these reasons that hooves should be cleaned and trimmed at least twice a year.

It takes at least 2 people to trim a cow's front hooves.

The animal is tied tightly with a short rope to the feeder, one person holds the leg bent at the joint, and the second trims and cleans the hoof after disinfection. If any damage to the skin is found, then wounds need to be carefully treated iodine or birch tar.

Things are even worse with the hind legs. To trim the hooves on these limbs, the cow must be thrown to the ground, which is quite difficult to do. This requires at least 3 people. Often the animal is injured when they try to throw it to the ground.

Today there are special machines in which animals are secured, and the harm to cows is minimal.

But what if you have one cow whose hooves need to be trimmed and cleaned?

There is one technique that allows you to fix the animal alone and carry out the entire procedure.

In order to knock down an animal, you will need to use a soft but strong rope 5 - 6 m long. One end of the rope needs to be tied at the level of the fetlock joint (above the hoof) of the front leg on the side where you want to knock the animal down.

When one end of the rope is secured, it needs to be wrapped around the animal below the shoulder blades on the back and under the stomach. The second end must also be secured at the level of the fetlock joint, but this time on the hind leg, and on the same side. The one who will trim the hooves should stand on the opposite side from the fall.

The operator must take the end of the rope that is near the back leg, slightly pull the part that wraps around the body, and at the same time lightly hit the toe of the foot just above or below the fetlock joint of the leg where the rope is attached.

The cow will be forced to lift this particular leg. Next, as quickly as possible, you will need to pull this leg as close to your chest as possible. The animal will stand on 3 limbs.

After this, you need to hold as tightly as possible with one hand the part of the rope that is stretched on the back, and with the other hand you need to take the end loosely twisted around the hind leg and pull it towards you so that the rope is under the animal’s body. This will cause the cow to lose her balance and be forced to lie down on the exact side where the first end of the rope is secured.

The back leg will stretch out involuntarily.

After the cow lies down, the free end of the rope must be secured at the level of the fetlock joint of the hind leg in a loop. After the fall, access will be gained to both hind legs and one front leg.

The bedding on which the animal will fall must be soft so that minimize the risk of injury.

Before felling a cow, it must be tied very well to a support by the neck.

The tools you will need are a sharp knife, a hoof knife and special scissors. If this is not your first time trimming hooves, you can try a special hoof cutter.

First you need to compare the hooves on the paws. To do this, you need to measure the length of each from the rim to the hook. On the hind legs, the inner hoof is often lower and smaller than the outer hoof.

On the front legs the situation is reversed. If the hooves are too long, then using special pliers you need to remove the overgrown tips so that the length of the front side wall from the toe to the corolla is 7.5 cm.

You need to start with a higher hoof. First you need to create a plane on it with a cutter that will be perpendicular to the axis of the leg. If a white line is visible, then you are doing everything correctly. Also at this time you can remove all flaws in the sole. The resulting sole thickness should be 3 – 5 mm.

What is a cow's hoof? The dangers of untrimmed hooves, and why should it be trimmed?

A cow's hooves are the same as human nails, or, in scientific terms, a horn formation. But most importantly, the hooves also grow back and, unfortunately, the cow does not know how to trim them. Considering that overgrown nails cause inconvenience to people. You can imagine how ungulates suffer. Plus, the conditions of keeping cattle are not conducive to the natural wear and tear of growing hooves, since for at least half of the year, during the cold period, the cow moves very little while the hooves begin to grow. It is during the winter period that the largest number of cattle hoof diseases is recorded. And the main cause of these diseases is the farmer’s neglect of hoof care measures, namely trimming and trimming the hooves.

Based on the above, the hoof is the organ that allows the cow to move and lead an active lifestyle. Moreover, the load on the limbs is simply enormous, and the function of the hooves is to create a shock-absorbing effect on the cow’s body. Therefore, it is unacceptable if the hooves are in poor condition. According to statistics, it is more difficult to cure hoof disease in a cow than to cure mastitis. Therefore, preventive means of combating hoof diseases are the most effective and least expensive way to care for cow hooves. One of these activities is hoof trimming.

Some inexperienced farmers neglect this procedure, but as described above, it is cheaper to prevent a problem than to treat it later.

When a cow is kept in a stall, the horny wall (nail) of the hoof has time to grow by 6-8 mm in a month. In summer, due to the active lifestyle of the cow (pasture keeping), it is actively worn out, but in winter it takes on altered forms and prevents the cow from moving. The cow takes unnatural poses, trying to shift the load from the sore leg. Since the hoof, which has taken on an unnatural shape, begins to put pressure on the leg and crack, thus damaging the living tissue underneath. The cow begins to lose appetite, walking becomes lame, the load on the joints also changes, which can lead to immobilization of the animal. Milk yield decreases.

The way out of this situation, or rather its prevention, is the procedure for trimming and cutting off the hooves. Which should be carried out at least 2 times a year.

To trim excess hooves, a special machine and 2 people are usually used. Also, the procedure can be carried out without the use of a machine, but if you have a certain skill in tying the animal.

How to properly care for animal hooves

What measures should be taken to prevent lameness?

• Try to acquire initially healthy livestock;
• The diet of animals must contain all the necessary mineral elements and fiber;
• Concentrated feeds should be introduced into the diet only according to a specially designed schedule at least 3 times a day or using complete mixing during feeding;
• The room where the livestock is kept must be clean and dry;
• Carry out hoof trimming at least 2 times a year;
• Prevent lameness during the calving period of animals;
• Carry out activities to create comfortable conditions for relaxation;
• Regular baths for washing and treating hooves.

The purpose of hoof trimming is to achieve the following goals:

1. Ensuring the mobility of the cow, as well as its stability;
2. Detecting the possibility of a hoof problem before signs and lameness appear.

The formation of the shape of the hooves, as well as the manner of movement of the cow, is directly influenced by the surrounding environment, as well as its conditions. Solid bodies, getting into the gap between the hooves, have a destructive effect, which leads to injuries resulting in the appearance of lameness. When trimmed in the correct manner, a flat, hard barn floor helps distribute weight equally across each animal's hooves, ensuring that they regain shape. Trimming activities are best carried out after calculating the recovery period so that the hooves become healthy by the beginning of lactation.

What causes lameness in a cow?

These are diseases caused by disruption of the hoof horn or epidermis as a variant of the dermis of the skin. What is the cause of these diseases?

1. Reducing stall rest time to less than 12 hours per day, especially before calving;
2. Risk of injury to hoof tissue after calving;
3. Keeping a cow on a damp, wet floor for a long time.
4. Lack of ventilation in the barn causes high humidity, which can cause hoof disease.

Preventive measures to prevent hoof diseases

Hoof bathing should not be underestimated. After all, their role is in controlling the disease, which results in lameness of the animal. In this case, the situation repeats the case of mastitis, when it is necessary to prevent rather than treat. Hoof treatment in baths should be carried out regularly; this is the only way to achieve maximum results.